Home energy grants

[af20001]

Just recently got a grant of £140 for cavity wall insulation, which leaves us £219 to pay.

The great thing is the body dishing out the grants pays for all the work up front, and then gives you an interest free loan to pay back the balance - they have offered us an interest free loan of up to 36 months(!) to pay them the £219.

So we should save between £75 - £100 pounds a year on our gas bill, whilst earning interest on the money set aside to pay for the work.

I believe you get bigger grants if you are on benefits or are pensioners.

[Fran]

These two sites have info about the Home Energy Efficiency Schemes for Wales and England (don't know what happens elsewhere).

http://www.eaga.co.uk/Grants%20available/hees_wales.html

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/hees/

[Woby_Tide]

Grants only seem to be available if you are on certain benefits

Households, with children under the age of 16, in receipt of an income-related benefit;
Pregnant women, who receive an income-related benefit and have a MAT B1 certificate provided by their doctor;
Households who receive a disability benefit.
Households who are over 60 and receive an income-related benefit.

[mutley74]

over a month ago we were offered a grant for cavity wall insulation, at a cost of £150 for a 3bed semi, with grant from british gas, and we are not on benefits.

try www.house.co.uk which i think is BG website for domestic. Plus ring a few local insulation people and ask them about grants, as energy providers have to provide grants to cut down energy usage as part of the CO2 reduction initiative ( think i am right, correct me if i am wrong)

[mutley74]

BG must have changed the offer but here is a link for free insulation if u buy a boiler from them...but pester your local insulation people about discounts & grants

click here (http://www.house.co.uk/cgi-bin/house/house/products/productDetail.jsp?BV_SessionID=HHHH0286353890.1082 456597HHHH&BV_EngineID=cccgadclffjggggcefecfngdfhi dgjh.0&_txtProdID=campaign_page)

[af20001]

You can search here for grants in your area:

http://www.saveenergy.co.uk/gid/

We do not get any benefits, but still received a 140 grant.

[Darryl]

Have you also heard about the Big Green Boiler Scheme?

Details here: http://www.green-boilers.com

While the website seems to suggest this scheme is only available to those in the Thames Valley-ish area of the UK, it is in fact available across the UK!

If you are about to get a new boiler for your house, you can get a voucher for a high-efficiency boiler that typically makes it cost no more than a normal boiler! So, for the same cost, you'll get a boiler that is something like 90%+ efficient, rather than your typical 78%+; meaning that 90p in every pound you spend on energy (e.g. gas, etc) to power your boiler, gets converted into heat, rather than being blown out of the boiler flue!

You may also find that you have your own local energy saving advice centre that can also offer such discount vouchers. In fact, I've just found that my local centre (covering Cheshire and Merseyside) can discount the cost of the new boiler I want more than the Big Green Boiler Scheme! So, it's worth investigating if you have the time. My local energy advice centre details are at: http://www.epplus.org/main.htm

You can find yours at http://www.saveenergy.co.uk/howto/eeacs.cfm
or by calling 0800 512 012.

Darryl.

P.S: You don't need to be eligible for a grant to qualify for this scheme. Anyone can get a discount voucher.

[budgetflyer]

In Scotland, a company called "Everwarm" do grant jobs for central Heating and cavity wall insulation. If you contact them they may be able to advise on availability and form filling etc.

[Spikey]

anybody know anything about grants to replace old windows?

Spikey

Replacing windows from an energy efficiency viewpoint is rarely cost effective. The typical saving is aroung 10% of energy, and the payback period is measured in decades.
If you do replace windows, they will probably be those that now have an emissivity coating, unless the property is listed etc.
Sometimes, EAGA may install draftproofing, but not advisable on old Crittall windows, as they stick.

[exmodel]

"While the website seems to suggest this scheme is only available to those in the Thames Valley-ish area of the UK, it is in fact available across the UK!"

Well, Daryl I went to the website you mentioned and it doesn't seems to cover where I live which is East Sussex? So how can I get one of these boiler grants?

[raeble]

Go to the save energy website and see if there are any available in your area. They should also have the number for your local energy efficiency office which will be able to give you further information.
http://www.saveenergy.co.uk/gid/

[exmodel]

i did go to the site you suggested and still no outright boiler grants available. Only BG offering a discounted price match for their condenser boilers :(

[Darryl]

Exmodel

1. I know the Green Boilers website is not up-to-date. So it only refers to the Thames Valley area, and not the UK as a whole. But the scheme is nationwide.

2. There are no boiler 'grants' available. But local energy advice centres do offer a discount voucher scheme for energy efficient boilers. You have to phone them to find out.

Your best bet is to call 0800 512 012 and you will be given details of your local energy advice centre (I think this number puts you straight though to them).

Ask if they operate a energy efficient boiler discount voucher scheme, like the Big Green Boilers scheme. This is not a grant, as such, just a discount scheme offered by local (usually council-linked) energy advice centres. The Green Boiler scheme is nationwide, so you will get the discounts it offers at the very least. And from my own experience, this will definitely be a lot cheaper than British Gas - especially when you also factor in their installation charge!

After a quick google search I found that East Sussex council supports the Green Boiler scheme (you can call the council !Energy Officer on 01273 474968 for more info)

The Surrey and East Sussex Energy Advice centre direct line number is 020 7922 1668.

Hope this helps

Darryl.

[exmodel]

;)Thanks heaps Darryl...I will give them a call at some point today to find out what is best for me.

[english-setter]

Does anyone know of an insulation grant if you HAVEN'T got a cavity wall (other than roof of course) :-[?

[sasso]

Dear Darryl and exmodel,
Thanks Darryl for the comprehensive summary.

I can confirm that the Big Green Boiler scheme

www.green-boilers.co.uk

is available nationally and it is a discount scheme not a grant and you can get a high effciency A Rated boiler at very substantial savings (up to 50% off list price depending upon model).

We are not for profit - we care about the environment -

also check out our sister scheme

www.green-insulation.co.uk

(half price insulation or free if you are on certain benefits - again its aimed at Thames Valley but is in fact avaiable nationally)

and also
www.tvec.org.uk
(thats us)

Sorry for referring Martin but as we're not for profit, we're saving the planet (we'll we are helping a bit anyway...) and its a direct answer to another question I thought it'd be OK....... :)

[Sarahsaver]

Warm Front installed insulation around windows in my house, draught excluders etc. They told me that they DO install boilers or mend your boiler if it is serviceable, only IF THE BOILER IS BROKEN!!!!! :-[
So if id have been dishonest and willing to freeze my kids and myself in the winter i could have got my 25 year old leaky boiler replaced!!! But in their opinion if it works at all they dont need to do anything.
Spikey your local authority may offer grants for new windows, but i know that sort of thing has been cut back a lot. Get in touch with your council. Mine does household repairs at cost price or very reduced rate if you are on certain benefits, ask if your council does a similar scheme.

Any information for the Scottish area ?

[bridiej]

We had our cavity wall done last year (I think it was through London Electric?) and it only cost us £50.

AND we are not on any benefits etc, just normal, hardworking taxpayers.

Nice to get a cheap deal once in a while!

Anyway, I suggest you give them a try - they had an offer on loft insulation as well but ours is fine..

Good luck! :D

[chicamala]

We had loft insulation & cavity wall done with an energy grant-saved us lots of pennies and helps as a good selling point when it comes to moving!

>:(

Well I'm trawling through this world-wide-web, finding it very hard to get information about grants/discounts/etc.

British Gas reckon our boiler can't be fixed if it breaks down again-no parts anymore, but its only 10 years old I think (we just moved in Dec 02).

So I'm currently paying British Gas 20 odd quid a month so that they can repair my "unrepairable" boiler-should it break again-WHICH IT WILL OF COURSE!

Living in Darwen, Blackburn (BB3) there doesn't seem to be anything on offer here. Not on benefits-except Child Benefit (for 22 month baby) and CTC.

Disabled-(nerve damage to right arm, in pain all day, every day, cannot hold a can of pop for more than five minutes, hand does release grip without me realising, baby to look after-hard work!)-but NOT DISABLED ENOUGHT for DLA!

So whats on offer for a young mum and her family? All I want is to get a new boiler and stop British Gas upping my blinking gas bills!!! - note-moving to Scottish Power :D

Any help?

Sami

[Darryl]

Finding it hard to find info?

I think the answer to your question might be in the messages above yours on this board...

Darryl.

[Fran]

Sami -

When did you last apply for DLA? It might be worth applying again. Make sure you get help filling the forms in with a Citizens Advice Bureau or other agency. How long is it since your decision was made? If it is less than a month ago you can appeal the decision. Again, CAB can help with appeals. They will also have local information about what's available in the form of grants/discounts etc.

[Beef]

I had the Cavity Wall discount and Loft insulation, with interest free credit on the £200 or so to pay.

I was told that to top up the level of loft insulation to say 6 inches would cost almost £100 more than them putting in 12" from scratch. He also told me to get rid of my water tank jackets, and they would put new ones in at no charge.

I paid someone £20 to clear out and dispose of all the tired old insulation and water jackets, and fair enough they put loads of insulation in, tank jackets and pipe lagging.

I only need to heat the house for a couple of hours a day now, instead of the 24/7 before the insulation :)

[ioscorpio]

Can you get a grant to have double glazing installed?
I live in Derbyshire.
Can't find anything on the search grantsite

[raeble]

Phone the 0800 number further up the thread and ask them. It depends on your council/energy efficiency area and your status. I know they don't in my area. I don't think double glazing falls under energy efficiency as such. I know leicester council pays for it under their home improvement grant schemes- every year they pick a certain area that needs grants and they will means test people in those areas. Of course houses in those areas automatically shoot up in price.

[shelagh]

Hi Beef,
how did you do that ? I am in need of both but have been led to believe that they cost at least triple what you have paid. We are not on benefits and would not qualify if there was any means testing. We have a 4 bed detached house.
Thanks Shelagh.

[BrickBazooka]

See http://www.heatproject.co.uk

They are insulating the walls and loft for just over £200 - I'm not on any benefits or anything...

Brick

[roger_c]

Can anyone tell me how much a loft insulation should rougly cost as I have no idea! My flat is pretty big and I had a guy out who quoted over £1,000 so of course I said no as I couldn't afford it!

I think it's a big area but not £1,000 big! I did a rough calc and think the total area is ~1,191 sq foot.

[howtosaveenergy]

The Energy Saving Trust offers up to £225 in grants for those installing Cavity Wall Insulation (£150 towards cost) and Roof Insulation (£75). These grants are available to all, not just those on benefits. Those on benefits can claim up to 100% of the cost, through the Warmer Homes Schemes throughout the UK.

The total cost of implementing Cavity Wall insulation is normally around £350 - £400 excluding grants for a 3 bed semi, and you should save about £130 to £160 a year. To ensure you are eligible for the grants you need to use a CIGA registered firm.

There is more information on how to install and claim your grants for Cavity Wall Insulation (http://howtosaveenergy.blogspot.com/2007/04/cavity-wall-cash-back.html) here.

[howtosaveenergy]

Can anyone tell me how much a loft insulation should rougly cost as I have no idea! My flat is pretty big and I had a guy out who quoted over £1,000 so of course I said no as I couldn't afford it!

I think it's a big area but not £1,000 big! I did a rough calc and think the total area is ~1,191 sq foot.


I would advise you call the Energy Saving Trust, as they have guide prices for the installation. £1000 seems pretty expensive. The EST will then direct you to (most likely) CIGA who has a list of qualified installers. The EST can also offer you a grant of £75 towards the cost.

[spankymonkey]

does anyone have information on grants for people on benefits and in a council/housing assoc property?